I always get excited when I receive my absentee ballot in the mail! This years ballot for the City of San Francisco is quite intersting that I can’t pick just one or two initiatives to write about as I usually do. From the intense mayoral race to some of these propositions, it’s certainly an interesting election this year for San Francisco! This year is also the first year San Francisco is going on a ranking voting system similar to what Oakland used during it’s last election. You don’t have to vote for a 2nd or 3rd choice but it is recommended when we have so many candidates running in the same race.

Regardless of your thoughts, political party or voting decision, I urge you to go out and VOTE this November!! Seriously, if you aren’t going to vote, keep your mouth shut! Don’t complain, don’t whine and don’t wish for things to happen in your local community if you are not going to take the most basic initiative towards making a change! We need to remind ourselves of how many people have struggled and died for us to have this right today and those who are continuing the fight for this same right everywhere else across the globe.

Since Gavin Newsom has left his mayoral seat, things have changed. A new leadership is needed to not only bring this city back up but to help usher in some major improvements. With that said, I’m confident in Leland Yee‘s expertise and commitment to the city he has served for over 20 years. I know he doesn’t have the most perfect political history but it takes a strong candidate to admit when he’s made bad calls and good calls. Yee is one of those candidates. Its also very rare to have someone who has been raised in San Francisco and serve it politically for as long as Yee has.

I’m also choosing David Chiu and John Avalos as my 2nd and 3rd choice respectively based on their work in the city in the last few years as well as their clean and positive campaigning. All three candidates support the Occupy San Francisco movement unlike Mayor Ed Lee who’s response isn’t helping his mayoral bid one bit.

Ross Mirkarimi gets my vote with his experience and decent work history as a San Francisco supervisor. Miyamota and Cunnie have my 2nd and 3rd choice respectively for their experience as well.

San Francisco District Attorney
1st Choice: Sharmin Bock

Does George Gascon really think he has a chance after his failed SFPD Chief tenure? I don’t know much about the other candidates to decide on a 2nd and 3rd choice but Sharmin Bock‘s work in Alameda is what’s encouraging my vote.

Proposition A – School Bonds

As someone who has attended San Francisco public schools from kindergarten through high school, I know what it is like to be in a good functioning campus and to be in one that isn’t. By the time I graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School, the renovations that took place throughout my time there was complete. The campus looked and felt beautiful that I was actually envious of those enjoying it. Public schools are losing students in large part due to low enrollment, budget cuts to programs, large classrooms and parents taking their children out of what they feel is a failing public school system.

With that said, I vote NO on this proposition because this is the third time this proposition has been put forth after it was passed the first two times in 2003 and 2006! I’m assuming little was done with it those funds thus finding this proposition unnecessary. Funds can be brought forth through the rental of the many empty facilities currently in the city. I believe there is at least five to ten facilities available for rent, not including those for sale, including two right here in my district. Plus, the ridiculous salaries some of these administrators get versus what the teachers who are barely making it could use a revision.

Proposition B – Road Repaving and Street Safety Bonds

This proposition is decently drafted to help bring continued improvement throughout the city. It’s a long term investment in city improvements and local job creation without raising taxes. My neighborhood was recently repaved, alongside new medians, pothole fixes and greenery which has made it simply beautiful. I feel a YES will help bring these same improvements to all of San Francisco.

Personally, the unions have drained many cities across this nation including San Francisco with some of these ridiculously drafted pension plans. Many of these city employees are making a lot of money and being paid almost as much after they’ve left or retired from their jobs with very little contribution towards their pensions. Remember Bell City a couple years back? I’m all for a good pension and health care plan for our hard working employees but it shouldn’t continuously raise my taxes to cover these costs and put my city in debt.

Proposition C was drafted poorly by Mayor Ed Lee and approved to be on the ballot unanimously by the Board of Supervisors… bad move! While Proposition D was being drafted by Public Defender Jeff Adachi, Lee went ahead and made a deal with a few unions to exempt them from these changes should Proposition D pass over C… terrible move!

In my opinion, Proposition D is better drafted, better suited and will save the city a good $70-$80 million in the next fiscal year versus Proposition C which would only save the city approximately$40-$50 million. Proposition C gets a NO and Proposition D gets a YES from me.

Dear Board of Supervisors, Don’t amend my vote! Should think twice about any initiative before you place it on the ballot just like the citizens do before they go out gathering signatures for theirs. Voting NO!

Proposition F – Campaign Consultant Ordinance

This law is not only stupid to begin with but this proposition doesn’t help make it any better… NO.

Proposition G – Sales Tax

Ummm… NO! The city already pays an arm and a leg for many of these community policing and safety programs to feel the need to increase my taxes to continue funding for them!

Proposition H – School District Student Assignment

When I was in middle school, my family moved from the Mission district to the Sunset district. I ended up going to three different middle schools because of SFUSD’s odd placement policies. It’s completely absurd and messed up to this day. My younger siblings didn’t get to go to the same high school as I did due to those same ridiculous placement and waiting list policies. I think the whole thing needs to be rewritten but I’m voting YES so that in the mean time, this will help the students in the next school year.